Barker Named NWC Women's Field Athlete of Week
The junior multi-event specialist is honored after gaining Division III Championships qualifying marks in both the heptathlon and the javelin
FOREST GROVE - After punching her ticket for the NCAA Division III
National Championships in two events over the course of the week,
Pacific's Brooke Barker (Jr., Eugene, Ore.) has been selected as the
Northwest Conference's Women's Field Athlete of the Week.
Barker, a returning Division III All-American in the heptathlon, qualified for nationals in the seven-event discipline again by finishing second at last week's Linfield Multi-Event Meet. Barker placed second in the meet, but established the best mark in Division III this season with 4,444 points.
In the process, Barker established season bests in six of the heptathlon's seven events. She capped the season best list by hitting a NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the javelin, launching a throw of 133 feet, 2 inches. Barker also hit season best marks in the 100-meter hurdles (17.2 seconds), high jump (4 feet, 11.5 inches), shot put (37 feet, 8.5 inches) and the 800 meters (2:28.75).
Barker followed up the heptathlon by winning the high jump at Saturday's Lewis & Clark Invitational with a mark of 4 feet, 8.75 inches, and placed third in the 100-meter hurdles in 17.54 seconds.
To date, Barker has earned Northwest Conference Championships qualifying marks in seven different events, including every heptathlon event with the exception of the 100-meter hurdles. The defending NWC champion in the 200, 400 and the heptathlon, she is ranked in the NWC's top-10 in six different events, including ranking second in the javelin, fourth in the shot put and sixth in both the 200 meters and long jump. In addition, Barker currently owns the sixth best mark in Division III in the javelin.
Chosen by the conference's sports information directors, the Northwest Conference honors two male and two female track and field athletes each week: one from the track events and one from the field events.
Barker will have one more tune-up meet for next week's NWC Multi-Event Championships, competing Saturday at the Willamette Invitational in Salem.
Posted by Blake Timm (timmbr@pacificu.edu) on Apr 4, 2006 at 11:16 AM
